BIOGRAPHY
Hong Seonghwa is an artist based in Seoul. From an early age, she has expressed her inner self through painting, forging a lifelong path as an artist. With a deep curiosity about humanity and life, she has integrated the spectrum of emotions experienced in life into her work, using them as a foundation for artistic exploration. Through moments of joy, sorrow, happiness, and hardship, she delves into the essence of human nature and relationships, embarking on a journey to find true selfhood and reflect on the inner self.
Hong creates a unique world of art that captures the solitude and internal conflicts of the human spirit through the lens of Eastern aesthetics. The figures in her works embody a soft yet resilient gaze and a composed stance, evoking the restraint and spirituality central to Eastern art. Using traditional brush techniques, she delicately conveys the emotions of each figure with a single stroke and applies layered color gradually, investing each work with the virtues of patience and sincerity.
She also reinterprets traditional symbols, such as flower-and-bird motifs, lotuses symbolizing resilience, and peonies representing prosperity and beauty, blending them into a modern context where they seamlessly harmonize with the figures. Nature is portrayed as a nurturing, maternal presence that gently embraces the contemplative human spirit, offering a sanctuary for introspection.
Through her work, Hong invites viewers to reflect on themselves and listen to their inner voice, offering a sense of purification and warm solace through the tranquil and serene atmosphere characteristic of Eastern art.
CV
Education
2004, BFA, Oriental painting, Hongik University Graduate School, Seoul, Korea.
Group Shows
2004, Graduation exhibition, Hongik museum of art, Seoul, Korea.
2022, International group exhibition Artquake-9, Nigde Art Gallery, Cappadocia, Turkiye.
2022, International group exhibition Artquake-10, Nigde Art Gallery, Cappadocia, Turkiye.
2023, International group exhibition Artquake-11, Nigde Art Gallery, Cappadocia, Turkiye.
2023, International group exhibition, Tan Art Gallery, Istanbul, Turkiye.
2024, group exhibition, Suhin Gallery, Seoul, Korea.
Other experiences (art instructor, illustrator, handbag designer,)
STATEMENT
As we journey through life, we experience joy, happiness, sorrow, and hardship. Through these experiences, we are led to reflect on the essence of humanity and our relationships. We ponder where we come from and where we are headed, contemplating what kind of life would be wise to lead. Amidst this emotional whirlwind of life experiences, I began my work by exploring humanity to find my true self and to look inward.
The figures in my work gaze into their own solitary inner world with narrow, elongated eyes, embodying both gentleness and strength. Their black hair is neat and their body posture is calm and restrained, capturing an essence of Eastern beauty. Eastern art places emphasis on the expression of the spirit, prioritizing the inner world over the visible exterior, and so the outward expression of the figures is restrained. In Eastern art, where brushstrokes cannot be erased or altered once drawn, every stroke requires wholehearted dedication and sincerity.
Just as one cultivates discipline, I delicately depict the facial expressions, features, and natural elements with a single brushstroke, filling in as needed. Additionally, the technique of applying paint in layers on fabric, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next, teaches the virtue of patience.
Inspired by traditional Eastern symbols—such as flower-and-bird motifs that signify luck and fortune, lotuses representing resilience through hardship, and peonies symbolizing prosperity, beauty, and happiness—I reinterpret these elements in a modern way and place them within the backgrounds of the figures, so that they harmonize naturally with the subjects. Nature becomes a nurturing, maternal figure, warmly embracing the individual in reflection and yearning for happiness, offering a sanctuary for the spirit and amplifying the presence of the figure.
Through these works, I invite viewers to reflect on themselves and listen to their inner voice. I hope that the uniquely tranquil and serene atmosphere of the figures within nature brings viewers a sense of purification and gentle solace.
